Leah's Courage
by Anabolina
Summary: Leah is happy and pretty much enjoying her life as a shape-shifter when she's sent to track a strange scent. What is the scent? Will Leah ever imprint?
1. Discovery

**AN: This is a Leah/OC since I really can't see her with any of the other characters. Enjoy and please R/R.**

A bright mist swirled over the lake as Leah Clearwater watched through feline eyes. The night was strangely bright because of the full moon. Since discovering she was not limited to a wolf shape, she'd experimented with many other shapes and discovered the cheetah was a favorite for her. Unfortunately, cheetah's were kind of rare in the Pacific Northwest, so she took the mountain lion form instead. Leah also discovered that the pack hierarchy was only valid while she was a wolf, so she only took that form when necessary. She was still beta to the nauseatingly imprinted Jacob and Seth. Seth's wife was one of Leah's former best friends, Judy Raven, and they were so nauseatingly in love that Leah hd to nobly resist the urge to Seth whenever she visited. This limited visits somewhat. Jacob's monstrous imprint on the little brat Renesme was also maturing. In the past six years, Renesme had grown into a beautiful girl who was the envy of all who saw her. Jake would probably make a play for her in the next month or so, if only to keep her away from her other halfbreed friends.

Leah shook her massive head. Her coat was a bit shaggier then the typical Lion since she hadn't been able to cut her hair in the past few months. It had taken many tries, but Leah had finally discovered girly hairstyle that suited her features and lifestyle. With a little gel and a brush, Leah knew she looked good enough for half the guys at La Push to chase after her. Unfortunately, none of the guys who asked her out appealed to her. Maybe being in the minds of so many men for so long had inured her to their appeal. She knew exactly what they were thinking when they eyed her and smiled.

Suddenly there was movement below, a flicker of darkness against the rocky lake shores. Leah jumped into the air, turning into an eagle as she plummeted downward. She'd been waiting for the outsider to make a move for three days. A month earlier while hunting, the pack had noticed a strange smell and tried to track it. It disappeared into the water and they hadn't been able to pick it up again. It was a strange blend of human and wolf. Jake and Sam had agreed to work together to find its origin and 6 changers had been sent out to investigate. They were only supposed to be one two weeks, but Leah was on the trail and didn't want to return without answers. She'd become a wolf for just enough time to deliver her report and tell Jake she'd come back when she had an answer. Not wanting to chance his denial, she quickly become the mountain lion. Despite her hatred or eating raw and dirty food, she's come to accept it when necessary and the mountain lion was the perfect form to take for this mission.

She kept her eagle eye on the dark spec and swooped down, enjoying the wind and the feeling of exhilaration as she plummeted. The spec grew bigger and became something vaguely animal. When she was just 15 feet above the creature, she circled. It looked like a common enough wolf and as first Leah thought she'd gotten onto the wrong trail. She landed on a nearby tree and became a common house cat. Now she could smell and knew this was the creature she was tracking. Jumping onto the ground, Leah focused on her mountain lion form again and followed the trail. She felt her adrenaline surge as the dark trees flew by. The wolf was almost as fast as Leah, faster then any real wolf Leah had ever seen.

Abruptly it stopped and Leah slowed to a trot, catching it within second. It bared its teeth at her and she instinctively returned the grimace and growled. The thing's tail twitched tensely and the duo began to circle, eyes never leaving the other. The wolf's eyes were the same dark green as the trees surrounding them and his coat was a short, well-groomed beige with some black on his ears, tails, and feet.

Leah stopped moving and morphed into human form. Nudity was no longer an issue for her. Something about nearly 7 years as a shapechanger who sometimes forgot the little things, like tying clothes onto her form, lead to many transformations back into human form with no nearby clothes. The clothes she'd brought with her had disappeared the first day.

The wolf backed away at first and continued to circle Leah. Leah kept her eyes on him the entire time. The wolf shook its head and began approaching Leah. She looked down as he came closer and realized he was bigger than most wolves, although not as big as her brothers.

"Hello," her voice was gravelly from disuse.

The wolf cocked its head to the side and looked her up and down. Leah knew that look and barely resisted the urge to punch the wolf. She morphed back into a lion as the beast seemed unable to communicate. The wolfed tossed his head to the right and took off. Leah followed. It seemed to Leah like they ran for days, the wolf never tiring. The sun was beginning to rise when Leah realized the wolf was slowing and they were entering a small city. Whitefish, Montana. The roads were now lined mailboxes, even though most houses were set back from the road. Leah hadn't realized how far she'd gotten from the res in the past few weeks. _Montana_, she thought. The wolf continued to slow as the sun rose. When they reached a dilapidated formerly white house with huge hedges instead of a fence around it, the wolf collapsed. He was right beside the wooden deck and Leah could see that there were clothes at the top of the deck, right beside where he was jerking spasmodically.

The wolf began to shiver and Leah approached cautiously. The thing was convulsing and its tongue fell out and eyes opened and bugged out. Leah watched in horror as its coat seemed to split and disintegrate into dust as it touched the ground.

In place of the wolf was a naked man sitting on the ground, grinning at Leah. His hair was so pale as to be invisible and his eyes were a deep, dark blue. It was hard to guess his age. Leah would have said 21 or so if not for her knowledge that many creatures do not age, like her. She looked 25, but was actually much closer to 30 then she liked to think. Remembering her age reminded her of the many things she would never have because of her abilities. Her appreciation of the gift had grown over the years, but she still had regrets. As she continued to watch him, her mind stopped working. Everything was stuck in this one moment as she look in his unremarkable features that now seemed the most sexy and gorgeous one she'd ever seen. In that moment she would have done anything to make his happiness continue and to be around him all the time. Dimly she wondered if this was imprinting or if she only hoped it was.

"You can change now." His voice was lyrical, with some accent Leah could not place. He reached for a pair of jeans, pulling them on and standing up. If Leah had been in human form, her blush would have covered her body. She didn't mind nudity most of the time, but at this moment, she felt shy. She ducked under a bush and morphed, brushing her hands though her hair quickly, jerking through the snarls and tangles and wincing in pain.

"Here, why don't you take this." The voice came from just beyond the bush and Leah jumped at his nearness. He tossed a red sweatshirt at the bush and Leah grabbed it quickly, ignoring the scratches that would soon heal and donning it. It barely reached her thighs, but would cover most of her more embarrassing parts. She scooted from beneath the bush and stood too close to the former wolf. He lurched back slightly and would have fallen if Leah hadn't caught him. Leah was deceptively strong, something that usually bothered her. Most of her traits were so masculine, she worried if she was still a woman. Looking at the man she was clutching in her hands, she knew she was still a woman. She hadn't felt this attracted since Sam. Actually, this feeling was even more intense. She couldn't imagine needing someone more, and she knew noting about him. He could be a serial killer like the bloodsuckers or some other unsavory character. Somehow that didn't matter anymore. She would love him forever. He seemed to be looking at her expectantly. She had to force herself back to the moment and ducked her head.

"Thanks," she paused, "for the sweatshirt I mean."

"No problem." For a moment, Leah was so distracted by the tone of his voice, she had no idea what he'd said. She looked into his eyes and realized she was still holding his arms. She dropped them unceremoniously and backed away a step.

"Who are you?" Leah asked, remembering her assignment.

"I could ask the same. I've never seen someone who changes into so many forms before." The man looked behind her and smiled.

"Dad." Two children yelled as they launched themselves at the man. He continued to smile and hugged them close. The kids didn't seem to notice either adult's state of undress. The duo were twins, about 4 years old to Leah's admittedly inexpert eyes. Since losing her period, she'd spent a great deal of time trying not to think of kids or be around them. The girls had pale blond hair and eyes the exact color of the wolf man's. Leah felt herself tense as they turned their collective attention to her, staring at her russet skin and shiny black hair, their smiles falling.

"Go inside for a minute dears." He continued to smile at them as they silently grabbed each other's hands and hurried back into the house. When they entered the house, he turned again to Leah, his smile falling.

"My name is Nick. It is obvious we both have," he paused, "gifts. Why were you following me?"

Leah paused to consider how much he needed to know. Her first inclination was to tell him nothing, but that was impossible with the intense affection and need she had for him. "I am Leah, part of a shapeshifter pack in Washington. We caught your unfamiliar scent almost a month ago and I've been tracking you ever since."

Nick glanced at his house, then turned his attention back to Leah. "I see." He continued to gaze at Leah, who felt her skin begin to redden. She wondered if she had something on her face. "I cannot tell you who we are without permission."

"I know what that feels like." Leah giggled, then stopped, stunned at herself. She never giggled.

"Would you like to stay in my house for a couple of days while I work this out with the leaders?" Nick held out his hand. Leah took it without thinking. Obviously, this imprinting business would take a lot to get used to.

He led her into the house, his back to her. The house was not really decorated. There was a spotless, if shabby kitchen, a bare hallway where the white walls met the beige carpet, and a sparse living room. The living room contained only a large beat-up, once green sofa and two mismatches easy chairs. There was a coffee table in front of the couch, but nothing else. There were no pictures or knick knacks anywhere to be seen. This felt very transient to Leah, like they weren't planning on being here long.

Nick gestured to the sofa and Leah sat obediently. _Okay_, she thought, _this is worse then a pack._

"Maggie, Reina, come in here so I can introduce you." Nick smiled at her. "Normally I would hesitate, but I think we can trust you." His smile filled Leah's soul and she felt warm and tingly.

The girls rushed into the room, stopping in the same second as they approached Leah. Nick grabbed their hands and drew them forward slowly. He pushed the child on the right forward. "This is Maggie." Maggie smiled and bowed. Leah felt her mouth twitch. These kids were unbearably cute.

"Pleased to meet you Maggie. I am Leah Clearwater." I held out my hand and she took it cautiously.

"Your skin is really hot." She looked up into Leah's eyes curiously.

"Ahem", her father cleared his throat and Maggie dropped Leah's hand and backed away. He pushed the kid on his left forward. "This is Reina."

Reina curtsied and spoke in a more melodic voice then her sister. "I am Reina Marie." She took Leah's hand gracefully and released it a second later, backing up to her father. All three sets of eyes were on Leah's face.

Leah tried to remember what was polite in this circumstance. She hadn't needed to worry about human protocols for many years. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." She said in a rush, her eyes mostly on Nick.

"Thank you." Nick continued to smile as he looked down at the blond heads of his children. "Run along now. I just wanted you to know who she was." Neither kid needed telling twice, they ran back down the hallway, leaving Leah and Nick alone again.

Nick sat on the sofa beside Leah, their thighs touching. Leah was exceedingly aware of that connection as she focused on not jumping him. He was staring down at her with the corners of his lip upturned. "I'm afraid I can't let you leave until I talk to the leaders. They should be here within the hour to get my report."

"Your report of what?" Lead said, ignoring the first part of his statement.

"I was trying to find all vampire traces in the surrounding areas. There were only some faint smells this month, but last month was horrible." He shuddered.

"I understand. Vampires are so cloying." This time Leah shuddered. Somehow, his hand was in hers. His skin felt cool against her constant fever, not cold like a bloodsucker, but cool like a human. He glanced down at the intertwined hands and then looked back into Leah's eyes, silent.


	2. Fight or Flight

As Leah gazed at Nick, her heart pounding, she detected a slight change in the air. Someone had either opened a window or door. Her senses became alert and she smelled a new, heavy odor. It smelled like someone who used perfume to cover b.o. instead of washing. Her nose wrinkled.

"What..." Leah started, turning her gaze toward the hallway from which the odor was emanating. The minute her attention was diverted, Nick used his grip on her hand to pull her to her feet and secure her arms behind her.

"Sorry about this." He did sound sorry. Leah tried to wriggle her arms. "I'm afraid I can't let you go until Lillian arrives. She should enter any moment."

Leah felt her face redden, but she couldn't seem to get mad at him or find any energy to hurt him. She would sooner hurt herself than harm him. She let her body go limp. Nick had to tighten his arms and staggered under her solid weight. He turned her around, his grip on her arms not wavering until they stood facing each other. He drew her closer.

Leah knew it was almost worth the restraint to be so close to him. She looked up into his face and was startled that he was staring at her just as intently. His lips beckoned hers and she tilted her lips until thy were within an inch of his. She could smell his delicious scent, a mix of pine, dirt, and something unique. She drew forward that extra inch, or perhaps Nick drew forward. All Leah knew was that they were kissing and it was so much better that she'd ever experienced before. Sam was nothing, nor were the other men she'd used to try to forget him. This was the way a kiss was supposed to be. She would have thrown her arms around him if she'd been able to loose them from his grip. She was lost in a maelstrom of desire, uncaring that he was restraining her and that they would be interrupted soon. As she thought of that, she heard a throat clear. Nick somehow managed to push her away while still holding her arms behind her. Leah felt cold everywhere that had been pressed against him. She almost shivered, but controlled the impulse.

She looked at the intruder. The woman had silvery hair that normally went with a craggy, lined face, but the woman's smooth face look more like a teenager than a geriatric. Her body was long and lean, almost as tall as Leah, and she wore a most unlikely pair of jeans and red and white stripped shirt. He silver hair fell around her shoulder, almost reaching her waist. She also wore spotless white tennis shoes that Leah distractedly envied. She's never been able to keep shoes either spotless or scrapeless, even in her pre-changeling days. Such thoughts were, however, distracting and she forced her mind back to the moment. The woman stood before her and Nick taking in Nicks arms as they held Leah motionless. Her eyes were the same silver as her hair, but were rings with dark lashes. Her eyebrows were also much darker than her hair, slashes against her face.

"This is Lillian." Nick said, looking down at her, his shoulders suddenly tense.

The woman raised her fingers to Leah's face. Her hand paused within inches and she hesitated, looking at Nick.

"Are you sure?" Lilian looked concerned. Nick nodded, his lips tight against his teeth. Leah didn't know it was possible to become more tense, she began to struggle against Nick's arm, using even more of her strength then she had before. Nick grunted and repositioned her against his body. Lilian lurched forward in the struggle and pressed her hand to Leah's face. Her hand was icy, colder than any skin she'd felt before, cold as vampire skin. Unlike vampire skin, her skin was soft and smelled faintly of mint and coffee. That was all Leah could perceive before her world darkened. She felt a niggling poking at her brain. Something was trying to get in. If she'd been able to move her body, her hands would have gripped her head. It wasn't painful, but it nagged at her. Leah's brain seemed to be moving more slowly then normal, but Leah was stubborn and never gave up. She continued evading the niggling sensation, although it did come close once in awhile. She knew she couldn't keep this up forever, so she tried to force her brain to work while still resisting the attack. She allowed the sensation to get closer to her when she attacked, grabbing the feeling with ephemeral hands. It moved like mist through her fingers. Leah knew she would have to make a stand, so she did try to evade it again. The mist coated her spirit body and drugged Leah's brain. She felt herself becoming weaker. With a last burst of power, she tried to use her brain to burn the mist, like fog on a sunny morning. She thought she heard a gasp with her physical ears, but everything was so hazy. Leah slipped, still fighting, into unconsciousness.

_Drip, drip, drip_.... Leah did not wish to wake up. She had a feeling something horrible had happened, was happening, and was going to happen the moment she opened her eyes. The drips would not stop and they called Leah back. Her head was splitting and for a moment, all she could think about was the pain. Then she remembered Nick and her pain doubled and tripled. She had no idea she could feel such pain. Even in the midst of Sam's budding relationship with Emily, she hadn't felt this sad, hopeless, and achy. If the rest of the pack were joined with her now, they would howl with grief, even the interminably cheerful Seth. Leah could not believe with her heart that Nick would betray her in this way. Her head knew it had happened and understood that they were two strangers, but her heart did not understand and seemed to be in shock. Leah dreaded her heart leaving its shocked state because she knew should would be submerged in a torrent of grief so severe she would drown in it. Her eyes remained closed, but her senses were still acute. She maintained a normal sleeping breathing pattern and didn't allow her muscles to tense. The smell of this place was familiar. She was no longer at Nick's house. The smells and sounds were completely different. The familiar smell like the smell of perfume over body odor, of unwashed flesh. Leah heard that someone shared the room with her. They shifted in a chair beside her every few minutes, obviously bored. Their breath and heart was slow, obviously he or she was not scared. Leah felt an intense urge to make that person scared. She resisted and paused to review her situation. Hotheadedness would not benefit her. She was strapped to a soft surface and the cold metal restraints were digging into her wrists and ankles. She'd obviously tried to escape because her wrists and ankles were extremely sore. Her head still ached, but it was dulling and she could hear the forest beyond this room. Perhaps she was restrained in a shed or outhouse. Unfortunately with the smell surrounding her Leah could smell nothing but that unpleasant perfume smell. Again she had to resist the urge to wrinkle her nose. She could tell the room was brightly lit against her eyelids. It was hard to decide what would be the best course of action in this situation. While Leah enjoyed going her own way and being independent, in most dangerous situations, she was part of a pack and followed Jacob.

She morphed into a snake, the restraints no impediment and ignored the gasp from the chair beside her. The room around her was stale and monotonous. It looked like a typical hospital room, except with restraints like she was some insane criminal. Leah hated being restrained and it took a great deal of her energy stores to not attack the first person she saw. A grizzled woman with greasy black hair and many facial scars still sat on the chair, staring at Leah's snake form. She looked contemplative. This woman was obviously a fighter, although her clothes said mechanic. She wore a blue jumpsuit stained with oil and other car-like fluids Leah could not smell over the overwhelming perfume.

"Now keep calm." Leah could feel the vibrations of the woman's voice. She remained motionless. Somehow in her lack of reaction, she was more intimidating than she would otherwise have been. This woman was not scared of Leah. This was perplexing, but Leah was more interested in escape than knowledge and she immediately became a human again, as always uncaring for her nudity, and attempted to use her not inconsiderable strength to force the door open. It would not move. Leah changed her strategy and turned her back to the door, facing the strange woman again.

"My name is Penelope. I am happy to meet you." Her voice was strange, as though speaking was not her favorite mode of communication. She attempted a smile, but to Leah it looked more like the woman was baring her teeth.

"I am Leah. What do you want?" Leah decided to play along, although her eyes were still scouring the room for escape. There appeared to be no entrances except the door, nor were there vents or windows. All that was within the room was the bed and chair.

Penelope's smile fell, her lower lip jutted out. It seemed very out of character for this woman to be petulant. She looked like a woman who did things rather than reacting to them.

"You're abilities are," she paused, "different from ours. Who are you and where are you from?" The woman's tone was business-like.

"Why should I answer?" Leah approached her, or tried to, but the scent was extremely off-putting, so she circled.

"This is not a time for threats... I simply want to know more about you." She attempted a smile again.

"My name is Leah Swan." She said, borrowing the first non-La Push last name she could think of. "I come from Worland, Wyoming where my pack is based. I am the only one who can change into many shapes, the others are more limited." Leah paused in her lying and smiled, trying to look sweet and innocent.

"What do you mean, limited?"

"Oh, they can only become wolves and when we take wolf form, we lose all control. The wolf consumes us. I hate it. There's always this horrible taste in my mouth after changing back." Leah shuddered, looking at Penelope from under her lashes. The woman looked a little disgusted with Leah's squeamishness, but she seemed to be buying Leah's story. "I was sent to find others like us. We found a strange smell on our hunting grounds and was sent to follow since I alone could assume so many forms and avoid detection."

"If you were avoiding detection, why did you follow one of us here and reveal yourself?" Penelope closed her arms over her chest, in an uncharacteristically defense gesture.

"That was my mission. Find and contact." Leah told the truth now.

"Hmmm." She clearly was unbelieving of Leah's mission. Her eyes weighed Leah and obviously found her wanting because her arms fell to her side and she shook her head. "I think I need to leave you hear for awhile to stew a bit.

Leah heard a sound from beyond the room that seemed more and more like a cell. It was a car door slamming. She could hear the other woman cursing below her breath. "Not now you....."

The door opened and brilliant sunshine flooded in, Leah almost made it out of the door when hands like iron manacles grabbed her arms. Her left shoulder was dislocated and Lead was not happy. Yes it would heal, but Leah did not believe in suffering pain. She was dragged back within the room, but not before glimpsing the trees around the cell. They were surrounded with forest. Leah wanted to faint from the smell and pain from her shoulder, but she knew she had to hold on and hope for another opportunity.

The new visitor was a stocky man several inches shorter than Leah. Somehow his presence was commanding despite his size. His hair was dark and streaked with gray and his eyes were an icy blue. He smelled like the sun and rosemary, an altogether welcoming scent since while he was close, it supplanted some of Penelope's scent.

"I am Sean, the leader of this people. Are you in a position to bargain with us?" His voice held a lilt Leah didn't care enough about to place and somehow Leah wanted to answer it.

"No," Her voice was dull and outside of her control. The pain and smells were distracting her and she couldn't focus on resisting him.

"Who can?" His voice was short and commanding, just like him.

"No one leader." Leah was fighting now, weakly, but consistently.

"Have you forgotten how to speak English." Penelope jeered.

Leah did not respond. She wasn't forcing herself not to answer, just not to answer aloud. She was distracting her brain with nursery rhymes. Leah had an intense concentration She'd once driven the bloodsucker Edward crazy with it by thinking the rhymes constantly and loudly in her head. He accused her of shouting them at him and eventually asked her politely to stop. It had been her way of driving him out of her head and it had worked. Her first one was the pie song, followed by the little old woman.

The man's gaze remained focused on Leah's face and he repeated his questions. Penelope struck Leah's cheek, but Leah was not distracted. She stared forward blankly, in her own world for now, impervious to pain.

Sean shrugged at Penelope, who shrugged back and stared at Leah for a long moment. "Alright, we will not try to get you to betray your people. Would you like to be released?"

It took Leah a moment to recognize the question. She focused a little of her attention on the little man. "Yes." Her voice was breathier than she'd ever heard it.

Sean opened the cabin door and Leah slowly, dazedly, passed through it to the forest. She could not change shape until her shoulder was returned to its socket or she'd have tried to escape at that moment. The duo led her through the bright forest, reaching a small clearing. There were 2 tents pitched and a great deal of camping equipment strewn about. This jerked Leah from her daze. Why would they take her here? It looked and smelled like a typical human camping trip. Leah smelled Nick on the air. He was nearby and her senses sought him out. She had a good idea that he was somewhere in the forest north of camp. His smell filled her with longing, despite her pain, wrath, and confusion. There were other seemingly human people around her. They smelled human, but greeted Sean and Penelope like old friends, barely sparing a look for Leah.

There were five women and at least as many men. Several young children clung to mothers and fathers as Leah walked past. The people all wore jeans and tshirts of varying colors and styles. Only Penelope differed with her jumpsuit. There was a aging Ford Galaxie 4 door and a newed Jimmie parked beside the camp. Obviously these people were not worried about gas mileage. Sean led her to the first tent, a large two room tent and gestured for her to enter. Leah would have set her chin and folded her arms over her chest but remembered the dislocated shoulder and made due with simply setting her jaw and glaring at them.

"Please, we have a doctor who can set your arm." Leah could see around Sean's arm into the tent. A tall, dark man stood, stooping slightly in the tent. He was very handsome and just Leah's type if not for her sudden predilection for blonds. He smiled slightly at Leah whose arm began to throb ever more insistently. She decided it was worth the risk since she wasn't getting away until it was set. She entered the tent, stooping like the giant and turned her injured shoulder to him. He looked at Sean, who nodded, an simply touched her shoulder. It felt wonderful, warming and healing in the same moment. The arm felt uninjured and Leah looked up at the man in awe. She shook her arm. It was still a little sore, but mostly mended.

"Thank you." She said quietly, nodding to him. Sean led her from the tent.

"That was Fabian. He is quite gifted. I know you are quite gifted too. Please join us." Sean said this in a rush and somewhat dismissively, as though getting an unpleasant task over with.

Leah laughed. "Surely you aren't serious..." Leah trailed off.


	3. Vampires

Leah eyed the suddenly alert group around her. Their reaction did not fit the situation. She cocked her head to the side and focused on her hearing. There must be a road nearby since Leah heard a car slowing down nearby. Most of the gathering disappeared into the wood.

Leah stood facing the direction of the sound, her body tense. Sean and Penelope stood beside her, Fabian was behind her. It occurred to Leah that she was vulnerable and would soon be boxed in. Leah didn't even consider before morphing into an eagle shape and flying into the trees. She alighted onto a strong branch, her senses still focused on the group beneath her.

None had moved in the past few minutes. The car approached slowly and halted within feet of the motionless trio. It was some red sports car. Leah tried not to know about cars and tried to forget everything she found out when running with the pack. She knew it looked new, flashy, and expensive. A huge man emerged. Leah smelt vampire, sweet and cloying, even from far above. She wanted to vomit. If it were possible, Leah became more stationary, focusing all her energy on hearing and seeing the exchange so she could give a full report.

"Sean, Penelope." The man paused. "Fabian." The last name obviously tasted bad in the vampire's mouth. "Where is the rest of your people?"

"They are safe. What do you want Morgan?" Sean's voice was cold. The vampire stood in front of Sean as if daring him to attack. The bloodsucker's mouth was shaped into a cruel smile.

"I'm afraid we may have found a couple of your people on your own near Laramie." He shook his head in a hideous parody of sympathy. "I hope you won't miss them."

The trio tensed, and then relaxed. "Of course, it was unavoidable." Sean looked at the woman beside him. "Penelope, can you find out who it was?" Penelope simply nodded, her eyes not leaving the creature.

"I'm sorry I can't help. You know you all look alike." The vampire was patently insincere.

"You've done enough." Fabian said through gritted teeth. The bloodsucker's smile widened and he glided to a stop in front of the gentle giant.

"It will never be enough until you are all exterminated." He bent close to Fabian and whispered something Leah could not hear and backed away. Fabian's face was white.

The vampire laughed. "I'll be seeing you all again soon." The vampire got back into his car. His tires squealed as his car whipped around and he returned to the dirt road.

Leah spent several moments debating her next move with herself. Should she join them? Technically she was allied with a vampire coven, but this vampire was obviously not human-friendly. Deciding not to care, Leah flew to the ground where the trio had once stood. The camp looked deserted now. She morphed into her mountain lion shape and followed their trail. It led to the North, toward her Nick.

Leah's grin was feline as she followed the path. It took her less than a minute to catch up to the 3 humans. They did not seem surprised by her appearance and she would have morphed into a human again if not for her smelling more people. She still had no clothes and wasn't going to walk all naked among them again.

It took several hours, but they met a small group of humans containing Lillian, Nick, Maggie, and Reina. They were obviously on guard but allowed Leah to pass with the others into the center of the group. Most of the group were standing around, a few weeping. There were humans from many ethnicities and of many ages, quite a few teenage and younger, and all wearing the odd uniform of jeans and a tshirt. Leah looked for any spare clothes. She wasn't modest or anything, but she didn't want to be naked in the circumstance. Leah spotted a large parka within feet and morphed and grabbed the parka within seconds. This had to be one of the quickest transformations she'd ever accomplished.

Suitably attired, Leah walked up to Nick, who stared at her impassively. Leah couldn't tell what he was thinking. Somehow, Leah could not hold onto her anger in the face of his awesomeness. She did try and turned away from him for a moment to look at the Sean, Penelope, and Fabian who were speaking in hushed tones with others in the group.

Leah felt hands on her arms and they turned her back to him. He was holding her tightly, tight enough to bruise. It looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't. Leah knew this was not the time for a private conversation. They were still surrounded by others and Leah didn't know if she wanted to hear what he would say. Who was the mother of the 2 urchins anyway?

"Attention People." Sean yelled and everyone stared at him. "We have a situation. The Bloodsuckers have found us again." Leah almost grinned at his use of the familiar, and uncomplimentary, term. "Ideas."

A older woman, with gray streaked blond hair and an ample figure said, "We have to prepare to fight." Others around her nodded.

"No." A short man with brown hair and beautiful green eyes shouldered through the crowd to stand beside her. "We cannot risk more death. We need only move on again."

"Where is there left to go?" The blond woman countered.

The man paused before answered and gathered his breath. "We need to go back to Transylvania. They will never look for us there since they drove us away."

The woman's laugh was bitter and most of the crowd looked at the man as though he were crazed and foaming at the mouth. "We will NOT go gently to our deaths. We must fight and battle like those before. We are an ancient and venerable race and if we are doomed to destruction, it must be on our terms, not as a herd of gazelles with stragglers picked off one by one by the suckers." Several of the group cheered.

"We will be slaughtered." The short man looked at Sean with pleading eyes.

"Not before taking a good many of them out." The woman's voice was determined.

"Silence Dimitri, Sariah. We have much to consider. We are the last of the werewolf race and cannot squander ourselves on hopeless vendettas." Sean turned away from the crowd. His back to them, he said, "If this is all you can think of, I am going to the river to meditate."

Leah realized Nick was still holding her arms. He noticed in the same instant and dropped his hands as if burned. Leah grabbed his right hand and gestured to the woods. He was hesitant, but nodded. "Dimitri, can you watch Maggie and Reina?" The little man nodded and Nick allowed Leah to pull him into the woods.

After a few moments, Nick began to pull against Leah's hands. "They shouldn't be able to hear us out here. Most lose their werewolf gifts when human."

Leah didn't know where to start, but knew her questions would need to be answered and soon. She was having trouble maintaining her shape in her frustration.


End file.
